Jeremiah 34:11

Jeremiah 34:11 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But afterward they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.
• New International Version (NIV)But afterward they changed their minds and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves.
• New King James Version (NKJV)But afterward they changed their minds and made the male and female slaves return, whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection as male and female slaves.

Context of Jeremiah 34:11

9so that everyone should let his manservant and his maidservant—Hebrew man or Hebrew woman—go free, so that no one should make a slave of a Jew, his brother. 10So all the princes and all the people obeyed, who had entered into the covenant, that everyone would free his manservant and his maidservant and not make them slaves any more—they obeyed, and freed them. But afterward they turned around and made the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, return, and brought them back into subjection as servants and as handmaids.” 12So the word of Adonai came to Jeremiah from Adonai, saying, 13thus says Adonai, the God of Israel: “I made a covenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying:

Jeremiah 34:11 word by word

וַיָּשׁ֙וּבוּ֙ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיָּשִׁ֗בוּ אֶת־הָֽעֲבָדִים֙ וְאֶת־הַשְּׁפָח֔וֹת אֲשֶׁ֥ר שִׁלְּח֖וּ חָפְשִׁ֑ים וַֽיִּכְבְּשׁ֔וּם לַעֲבָדִ֖ים וְלִשְׁפָחֽוֹת׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But afterwardאַחַר'achar · afterH310
• they turnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: turn backH7725
• and caused the servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• and the handmaidsשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
• whom they had let goשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: let goH7971
• freeחׇפְשִׁיchophshîy · freeH2670
• to returnשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• and brought them into subjectionכָּבַשׁkâbash · to subdueH3533

Cross-references for Jeremiah 34:11

• Jeremiah 34:21King Zedekiah of Judah and his princes I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of them who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army, who were withdrawing from you.
• Jeremiah 37:5Meanwhile Pharaoh’s army had set out of Egypt, and when the Chaldeans besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they lifted the siege from Jerusalem.
• Exodus 8:8After Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, Moses cried out to Adonai concerning the frogs, which He had brought upon Pharaoh.
• Exodus 9:28Pray to Adonai—there has been enough of God’s thunders and hail! I will let you go. You don’t have to stay any longer.”
• Exodus 10:17Now forgive my sin, only this once, please! So pray to Adonai your God—just so He would take this death away from me!”
• Exodus 14:3Pharaoh will say concerning Bnei-Yisrael, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land—the wilderness has shut them in!’
• 1 Samuel 19:6Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan, and Saul swore, “As Adonai lives, he will not be put to death.”
• 1 Samuel 24:19For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away on a good road? May Adonai reward you with good in return for what you have done to me today.
• 1 Samuel 26:21Then Saul replied, “I have sinned! Return, David my son, for I will no longer do you harm, since my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I’ve played the fool and erred so seriously.”
• Psalms 36:3For he flatters himself in his own eyes, too much to notice his iniquity —or hate it.
• Psalms 78:34But when He slew them, then they sought Him, and turned back, and desired God eagerly.
• Psalms 125:5But as for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, Adonai will lead them away with evildoers. Shalom be upon Israel.
• Proverbs 26:11Like a dog that returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
• Ecclesiastes 8:11When the sentence against a crime is not swiftly carried out, the human heart is encouraged to do evil.
• Hosea 6:4“O Ephraim, what shall I do for you? O Judah, what will I do for you? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud or like dew rising early, vanishing.
• Hosea 7:16They will turn back—only not upwards. They are like a treacherous bow. Their princes will fall by the sword because of the insolence with their tongues. This will be for their ridicule in the land of Egypt.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 34:11

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 11But afterward they turned - They had agreed to manumit them at the end of the seventh year; but when the seventh year was ended, they recalled their engagement, and detained their servants. This, I believe, is what is here meant.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8-22Verses 8-22 It is usual with commentators to say that, the laws dealing with the emancipation of the Hebrew slaves, as also that of the land resting during the sabbatical year, were not observed. The narrative teaches us the exact contrary. The manumission of the slaves on the present occasion was the spontaneous act of Zedekiah and the people. They knew of the law, and acknowledged its obligation. The observance of it was, no doubt, lax: the majority let…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-22Verses 8-22 A Jew should not be held in servitude above seven years. This law they and their fathers had broken. And when there was some hope that the siege was raised, they forced the servants they had released into their services again. Those who think to cheat God by dissembled repentance and partial reformation, put the greatest cheat upon their own souls. This shows that liberty to sin, is really only liberty to have the sorest judgments. It is just…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8-22Zedekiah told the people to free their slaves. He wanted to gain favor with God by following the covenant rules about Hebrew slave ownership (Exodus 21:2–4). These rules had been ignored since the time of Moses. However, the order was useless because the people soon broke this new promise. They had also broken their agreement with Nebuchadnezzar (see Ezekiel 21:23–24) and their original covenant with the Lord. The Lord would punish them for their betrayal.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1111. During the interruption of the siege by Pharaoh-hophra (compare Jr 34:21, 22, with Jr 37:5-10), the Jews reduced their servants to bondage again.Read the comment

Topics related to Jeremiah 34:11

• Constitution
• Covenant
• Emancipation
• King
• Servant

In the dictionaries

• Covenant, in the Old Testament
• Handmaid
• Zedekiah (2)
• Zedekiah

Commentaries on Jeremiah 34

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings